Welties, a stubborn crime-ridden area, say police
WELTEVREDEN PARK – Authorities raise concerns about crime in Weltevreden Park and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Local law enforcement agencies have raised a serious concern about the spike in brazen attacks on households in Weltevreden Park.
Police and security personnel who attended the Community Policing Forum (CPF) on 29 June indicated that Welties remains a problematic area compared to other areas in the Sector 2 policing precinct.
Sector 2 covers areas such as Weltevreden Park, Randpark Ridge, Welridge, Panorama, Allen’s Nek and Constantia Kloof.
Sergeant Nicholas Makhura, the Honeydew Police Station representative, revealed that Weltevreden Park is dubbed a ‘stubborn hotspot’ which authorities are aware of. “Weltevreden Park is not new to anyone. The station commander and even the cluster know about this area,” he said, making reference to the crime.
A representative from Beagle Watch Security, Lizo Songelwa, backed Makhura by saying that there is a crisis specifically with regard to driveway-related crimes and house robberies. Songelwa added that the perpetrators are very quick, and often their clients only make use of the panic bottom after the suspects have fled the scene which is too late.
Due to the lack of resources at the station, the chairman of the CPF, John Baisely said, “We will have to use the resources we have. Between us [residents] we are going to have to make a difference [by increasing security].”
Baisely also stressed the issue of dog poisoning which started in Allen’s Nek and then spiralled to Randpark Ridge.
Two dogs died a painful death on 26 June after being poisoned with a toxic substance called two-step during an attempted house robbery.
“It’s such as a sad state of affairs. If you border Beyers Naudé Drive please be alert. [Also] something is really going on around the Christiaan de Wet and Jim Fouché roads [neighbourhood],” Baisely warned.
Jon Rosenberg, spokesman of the CPF, said a lot of robberies can be prevented before they happen if residents avoid leaving their cars outside their properties and gates wide-open.
ALSO READ: Crime in Sector 2 can be prevented by residents
Details: Honeydew Police Station on 011 801 8400.
